If you have any suggestions about this site then e-mail them to the webmaster
In a nutshell, redpointing involves practicing moves on a route prior to attempting a clean lead of that route. The aim of practicing the route is to find the most energy and technically efficient way of completing harder individual or sequences of moves than would normally be possible on a true on-sight attempt.
A redpoint is usually a sport route which will be of a harder grade than the climber usually on-sights. The same tactics can be applied to trad routes; this is sometimes referred to as headpointing. The keen climber can also apply these tactics to indoor routes or adapt them to bouldering problems.
A redpoint is not about battling up a hard on-sight attempt. It’s not about taking a fall, resting, and then climbing to the top. It’s not about repeating the route a short while later after a (too) brief rest, or worse lowering off without completing the route and starting once again from the bottom. The latter is counter-productive especially if the start is desperate and the climber cannot recall the opening moves. This could lead to falling off even earlier if the previous attempt has exhausted the climber.
If you blow the on-sight then you’ve blown the on-sight. Why get too precious about it now? Lower off and treat the route as a true redpoint project. A route could beyond your on-sight capabilities for many reasons, maybe the grade is too hard, the type of rock is unfamiliar or the style of climbing is not your usual preference. Climbing at grade X on limestone might not convert to grade X on gritstone; are you a slab-master trying a steep over-vertical route or a roof-climbing thug trying a technical masterpiece?
Don’t waste time and energy throwing yourself at a climb that is clearly beyond your capabilities. A redpoint has more chance of success if you haven’t burnt yourself out trying the on-sight / ground-up method first.
The general rule is that a climber should be able to redpoint a project two grades harder than their best on-sight in one to two days or four grades harder than their best on-sight on a multi-day project (probably four or more days); this assumes existing redpoint skills and the ability to read and remember (complex) sequences.
Consider:
However, why would you want to put time and effort into something like this when you could be on-sight climbing? Is this cheating? The answer to the latter question is definitely no. Redpointing is a useful tool that is just a slightly different game played by a different set of rules to on-sight climbing. You won't know how much fun it can be until you try it.
From personal experience, the thrill from getting a clean lead two technical grades beyond my best on-sight was one of the best moments in my climbing career.
The redpoint provides a good learning opportunity where the climber will find out more about pushing themselves to the limit of their climbing capabilities technically, physically and mentally.
Through rehearsing the moves, the climber will benefit from improving their technical abilities by removing fear. Once the fear of the unknown is removed from the equation and the moves become imprinted in the climber’s mind, they can then concentrate on technique and style. Climbing something in good form is far better from a learning perspective than scrabbling up progressively harder routes in poor style. Do you get up routes because of what you are doing or spite of it? Be honest about this, you’re only cheating yourself if you are not.
Most people with only the on-sight mentality drilled into them have the perception that you only ever redpoint when you climb super hard. However, one reason some people climb super hard is because they redpoint.
Another false perception is that it takes a long time, and working on one route would seem a dull way to spend a climbing trip. However, there is a whole spectrum of redpoint projects. These include those requiring just one quick working go and then ticking the route next time. This could be a route just one grade above your maximum on-sight, or even an on-sight gone wrong. This is almost as fast as on-sighting. At the other end of the spectrum are full-on multi-day sieges, which do take an entire trip.
When working a route break your time into sections lasting no more than half an hour. The concepts of the redpoint process remain whether you are working the route in a single day or 30 days.
On longer projects the timescales are much more drawn out, for example Steve McClure’s Overshadow (9a+) at Malham Cove – I’m not sure of the exact figure, but at least 30 days wouldn’t be far off the mark. There may have been at least 10 days just working out the moves. Each stage could take many days and there is no pattern to say which stage should be the quickest. If the links (Stage Three) are not going well, you may have to revisit Stage Two and revise the moves to make any necessary adjustments to your game plan. In theory, the redpoint should happen quickly if stages One and Two were done properly. If this is not the case, then again you may need to revisit each stage. The redpoint is a constantly evolving process and the climber involved should not be afraid to re-evaluate their original idea of how they thought the route would work.
The main concern of stage one is getting the rope up by any means fair or foul with the minimum expenditure of energy. On the way up, take time to experience the route. What are the holds like, where are the difficult sections? Try to focus on the technical aspect of the route, for example how you are going to enter and exit the crux area(s).
Remember, you are not on an on-sight attempt; if things start to get out of hand take a rest on a quickdraw. If a move is initially too hard, pull on a quickdraw or get the belayer to assist in upward momentum. By pulling on a quickdraw, you may even be able to reach the next clip. Conserve energy at all costs at this point. If all else fails, get someone else to put the rope up, or if possible climb an adjacent (easier) route, traverse across and lower off placing the quickdraws as you go. If the start is nasty, think about employing a clip-stick for the first one or two bolts. Some climbers will even take the clip-stick up the route to clip further bolts as they go.
|
|
|
|
Look at the route and break it into stages. Look for hidden/unusual holds. Will they help? If the route is managed into bite-size chunks, you will reduce the psychological burden of a sustained hard route. This allows you to think of the route in terms of several shorter, much more doable routes. Using the example of my last redpoint the route was broken into three sections, a steep crimpy slab leading into a vertical to over-vertical face section and then ending with a smooth pocketed slab featuring a dirty mono. At first, I had to break the mid section (crux) into two subsections prior to linking them.
Work on all the individual moves, try different ideas, find out what works for you, but remember if you become tired stop, rest and regroup. If your body is tired then the moves will be awkward and you will program-in poor, inefficient sequences. Several short sessions are much better than one long one.
For routes with exceptionally hard crux moves and harder upper sections then practice these bits first. Remember; do not climb the route ground-up to reach these areas. Expend minimal energy getting to them, i.e. cheat your way up. By doing this, the climber practices these moves whilst fresh and programs-in the best moves.
On subsequent goes remember to re-clip the rope on the way down. This has the advantage of giving the climber the opportunity to find and practice the best clipping positions by unclipping the rope on the way up. Otherwise clipping may be a bit of a shock on the redpoint attempt if this is the first time the climber has tried to do this.
It is usually best to clip at about chest height. A climber may have the illusion of being safer whilst clipping above their head; however, this will generally be more tiring and take longer. In addition, it will not really make any difference if the climber does fall, as they will be pulling more rope through to clip above their head; in fact, this could even lead to falling further.
Let the route talk to you, if you find yourself barn-dooring, recognise that the climb would like you to throw in a flashy flagging move for extra stability. If the hold that is just out of reach is screaming at you to use a drop-knee or twist lock rather than the full frontal he-man pull-up you have been trying, experiment, and put one in. Is there something at waist height to palm off rather than standing on tiptoe trying to get those fingertips to stick that tenuous crimp? Above all, check out the unobvious, explore, experiment and have fun with the route.
Remember the route does not usually run in a straight-line join the dots style between the bolts. The bolts will have been placed in the best rock or near a good hold for clipping. The route proper will generally be the path of least resistance between those bolts so take time to read the route first.
If needs be, take notes, draw a diagram, do anything to cement the moves into your mind. I can still vividly remember the crux sequence from my last redpoint in Turkey.
Now you’re happy with all the moves, shall you charge in where angels fear to tread? Absolutely not! Whilst you have individual moves mastered and perhaps the odd sequence, you will not have linked the jigsaw together.
This is where the sections and rest positions identified in Stage Two come into play. Still climb in sections using the clipping points, good holds and/or rest positions to define the start and end of each part. Is there a good rest below a poor clipping position; will it better to down climb for a rest after clipping or to press on?
On successive goes, lengthen the links and overlap them. When you are happy, go for stage four. Rest between climbing, in general spend no longer than 30 minutes on the climb. Rest for at least an equal time as that spent climbing between successive goes.
One note of caution, it may be tempting to prolong stage three, however consider whether this is going to leave enough energy in the tank for the redpoint attempt.
When the number of links reduces to a single effort then you are ready for this stage. Make sure you are warmed up for the redpoint but don’t overcook it and blow the lead. Use an easy route with similar moves or use the start of your project if it is suitable for warming up.
Timing is the key; don’t set off at midday in the full Mediterranean sun or first thing on a damp British morning. The number of attempts will not be great as you will not be conditioned to climbing at this level so use them wisely, perhaps one go in the morning, have a siesta then another go in the afternoon. If any longer than 45 minutes is spent between goes, you will need an additional warm-up before setting off.
Once successful, rush off to the nearest building selling alcohol & food and indulge in a well-deserved celebration, remembering to reward your belayer with the promised pint & meal.
Got a nasty difficult start to tame? Then use a clip stick.
Need to gain a bit of extra height, try these:
|
|
|
Does any of this help with everyday on-sight climbing? Of course it does! The skills acquired from redpointing readily transfer across into other styles of climbing. Climbing technically (hard) moves, improved route reading skills and a better understanding of your own capabilities will improve your trad/on-sight climbing.
Prior to last year’s coaching holiday my best sport on-sight grade was F5+, during the holiday I was able to match this grade on-sight and then redpoint a F6a+, now upgraded to a (hard) F6b. Therefore, by redpointing, I was able to lead a route cleanly in good style three grades harder than my best on-sight sport lead.
Within a matter of weeks, I had managed to on-sight an F6a+ back in the UK. This year has seen my trad climbing go from VS/HVS 4c/5a up to E1 5b (on-sight), this included a solo of a VS 5c (on-sight) and the sending of boulder problems up to V3/6a (practiced) and V2/5c on-sight.
For me this has been a quantum leap in my climbing and I am hoping that I will be able to make similar gains this year. The redpoint of the F6a+/b gave me the confidence try harder climbs, and it worked.
A direct comparison of my sport to trad climbing is not straightforward as the sport has been all limestone and my trad is predominantly on gritstone. Is anyone up for a raid on Beeston Tor and its horde of tasty HVS/E1’s next year or an all out assault on Sirplum at Cheedale?
The route I redpointed this year was to the first lower-off of Imagination (6b), located at the Sarkit area, Geyikbayiri, Anatalya Turkey. The whole route if you are up to it would weigh in at a mighty 7a.
Whilst grade wise this route was no harder than the redpoint from the year before I felt I was climbing with better form, which in my humble opinion outweighs the numerical value of the grade.
On my first go at the route I was able make all the individual moves with a couple of rests. I immediately identified the crux. One it was hard and two this was where I needed to rest. The crux required several sequential difficult moves on slightly over-vertical rock with poor rests. After my first go, I sat down and made some notes and sketches, looked at the route and compared the holds’ relationships to their clipping points.
After my second and third goes, I still hadn’t managed the whole crux sequence without a rest. Having been lowered and trying the crux area again, I made a decision that on the redpoint attempt I would climb through the crux and clip above it.
On the second day I had one more practice run and added a hands free rest that was possible by gripping a ledge with my chin! Some other climbers wanted to go at the route so we made way for them. Mid-day came and went and suddenly time was running short. Should I have one practice run or take the route on?
I opted for the latter, as another trial run would have sapped energy I did not have. I stepped up to the route chalked up, looked up, chalked up again, took a deep breath and started up.
The initial slab felt a lot bolder up to the third bolt without the safety of a top-rope. Once the third clip was made, I went for my planned chin rest, a quick shake out and I was off again. A quick pull to a good under-cut flake, a shuffle sideways on some small edges, a crafty finger-lock to a small under-cut was followed by one more move to a small jug/ledge. A quick heave up, I clipped the rope and down climbed for a shake out – link
At this point, I felt relaxed and even remembered to push my hips in. Two quick shakes for each hand and I was off. A swift pull and lock-off to the left brought my right hand to the shallow pocket/pinch grip. Pulling on this and pushing down with my left hand I worked my feet up, got everything in balance. A dead-point followed to get my left fingertips to a 45 degree sloping flat edge, then my right hand was brought up to the same edge. I worked my feet up again then moved my right hand up to an inverted side-pull in a small pocket.
From this, I pulled up and sidestepped around a tufa to gain a large pocket with my left hand from a long reach. As I moved my right hand up for a jug, everything suddenly seemed a bit insecure and as my hand passed near a quickdraw, it briefly pulsed as I was tempted to grab it.
Katherine and Steve both shouted “NO”, and temptation receded. I pulled through, grabbed the jug, pulled up to the second jug, took a deep breath and clipped the quickdraw, which was now below waist height.
A high stepping rock-over followed and I was past the crux moves and on the final slab. A dirty mono followed with a couple of smears and I was in the cave with the lower off clipped – phew.
Another climber on the same route.
Berry. A., and McClure. S., (2006), Sport Climbing, Rockfax
Horst. E. J., (2009), Learning to Climb Indoors, Falcon
And finally a big thank you to Steve McClure & Katherine Schirrmacher at Love to Climb – two great coaches/climbers who have helped me to climb routes I would have dismissed as impossible. Check out the link for coaching if you are at all interested. Most of what I’ve written is based on notes taken during these trips.
For anyone who fancies a trip to Antalya, Turkey (this where I have been on my two trips with Steve and Katherine) for a sport climbing trip, this campsite is second to none. This area is fantastic with good climbing right on your doorstep, the nearest crag being under five minutes walk from the camp.
Thank you to my Editor in Chief, Caroline Goldsworthy, the mistress of correct apostrophe usage and queen of the swift reprimand concerning my attempts at paragraph-long epic sentences. In addition, a quick thank you to Katherine Schirrmacher and Nick Sexton for advice and recommendations for last minute tweaks to this article.
If you have any suggestions about this site then
e-mail them to the webmaster